Flexible pipe joint



Oct.'13, 1931. w. c. WHITE FLEXIBLE PIPE JOINT Filed Oct. 26, 1927 1 socket.

Patented Oct 13, 1 9 31 ieznsee r WALTER 0. WHITE, or LOS ANGELES; cannon-nae, nssrenoit fro rn'rz-znniarronen conrnnnsoo, or PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, A} cannon- AW rnns'ri.

LEXIBLE r'rrn iroinr plication filed October as, 192v. seen in. 228,960. f

lhis invention, relates to an improved flexible pipe joint particularly designed for use in connection with fluid pressure. systems and'has as one of itsprincipal objects to provide a j'ointof the ball and socket type wherein the ballwill itselflbe' of a nature to provide a sealed joint between the ball and -The invention has as a'further object to 1 provide a joint wherein the ball will be formed teriali as an integral 'body of packing ma Andfthe invention hasas a still further "object to provide a joint wherein the pipe contour of the cup, and provided with an enlarged wrench-receiving portlon 15 sur-v receivingmember carried by the ball will be detachably connected -thereto sothat, when the ball may be readily re- I found necessary, newed. 7 1 7 Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. I

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my improved" joint disassembled, the parts, however, being in proper relative position,:

FigureQ is a sectional viewshowing the joint assembledQ'and V P f Figure 3 is a'section al view illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

v The joint of the present invention ball'and socket type. For convenience, the

socket will be nrst described; This socket includes a socket cup 10 provided with a nip-' pie 11 toreceive a pipe and formedon the cup is a fiange12 at the innerend of which is arranged a radial stop shoulder 13. Threaded upon said flange is an annular socket nut 14: conforming in contour to the mounted by a flange '16 abutting'said shoulder. Removably engaging through theshouland said wrench receiving.

der, the flange, portion, is a key'16 locking the cup and nut together. I Snugly ball 17 the innerffaces of the socket cup and nut being machined so that closefittingcom tact will be had'between the ball and socket. The ball 1? is formed as an integral body of packing material. Any, approved material plug the contour of the ball and-formed or" packing material similarto that employed. in'con j 7 -70. 21 willrigidly lock the nipple 2O uponthe should it be so desired, the nipple T when foundnecessary,

is of the fitting within the socket is the tint may lee employed but must be exp ansible, the ballbeing absorbent andsubject to swelling.

Thus,the ball willexpandswithin the socket to at all; times; provide a sealedjeint between %the ball and socket Formed through the 55.

ball is a fluid passage 18 and threaded into the g 7 outerend portion of said passage is theltubu- Y receive said I of course, to the nipplellotf the socket, Re-

inovably fitted through theball atoneside c thereofis. a radial locking-*pin'- 21, threaded through the stem-190i the nippleQQO and having the head'thereoi countersunk in are cess' 22 in the ball." Closing said recess isla. 23 conforming at its outer end face to structingthe ball, As will b'e'seen, the pin ball while,

may bereadily detached so'that the ball may,

I accordingly provide ajoint which, as will be easily renewed;

be appreciated, is of extremelysimple con-.

struction.

. InFigure 3 of the drawings, I have 1111 5 trated aslight modification of the invention.

In this modification, the socket cupis indi cated at 24 and the socket nut at 25. lhe ball is indicated at 26. All of theseparts are similar to'corresponding parts of thepreierred construction and cooperate in. a similar manner. A pipe nipple 27 isprovided for the nuts will, therefore, serve the same function as the locking pin 21 of the preferred construction and in this connection it will be observed that the stem 28 of the nipple will re% iniorce the ball throughout the length of its diameter. In other respects, this modified form ofthe invention is identical with the,

' preferred embodiment thereof 7 and further 85 ball and the tubularstem 28 or this nippleis description is accordingly believed unnecessary.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

A flexible pipe joint comprising a ball formed of absorbent sWellable material approxiniating Wood in rigidity, said ball be ing flattened at diametrically opposite points thereof and having an axial bore opening through the flattened portions of the ball, a socket receiving the ball and comprising a cup and a nut threaded together, one flattened portion of the ball protecting exteriorly of said nut and forming a seat, and the other flattened portion of the ball opposing the inner face of the cup and formin an extended space between the cup and ball Ior subjecting the ball to direct contact with the moisture and pressure of the fluid passing through the joint, an interiorly threaded nipple integral with said cup and having Wrench faces, and an exteriorly threaded nipple screwed into the axial opening of the ball in alinenient with said cup nipple and having an internally threaded end provided with Wrench faces and seated on the seat provided by said exposed flat portion of the ball.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

- WALTER GWHITE. [LS] 

